The America that most Americans never see

February 18, 2015

By Steven Davy

Canyonlands National Park — Greg Sager (www.sharetheexperience.org)/US Interior Dept.

Often vacationing foreigners outnumber Americans in visiting some of the most stunning parts of the US. And many are rarely visited. They make up a big share of the 20 most popular images from the US Interior Department’s wonderful Instagram feed, which updates daily.

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park — El Capitan in #Yosemite #NationalPark (#California) glows at sunset. This effect is known as #alpenglow, and it commonly occurs @YosemiteNPS during the winter months. iPhone photo. #nofilterPhoto courtesy of Kari Cobb/US Interior Dept.

Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park — #Sunset never disappoints at #GrandTeton #NationalPark in #Wyoming. Christina Adele Warburg (@christinaadelephoto) captured this beautiful photo of the colorful sky and the Teton Range in the distance at Schwabacher Landing near the Snake River. Schwabacher Landing is a great place to take in the stunning views of the mountains and watch wildlife in the park's flood plain.Photo courtesy of Christina Adele Warburg (@christinaadelephoto)/US Interior Dept.

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park — The morning commute is a little different at #Yellowstone #NationalPark. Cameron Patrick captured this photo on a cold morning — just after the #bison herd had waded through a river along side the road. The bisons' body heat caused the water to turn to steam in the cold air, creating the mist around the bison.Photo courtesy of Cameron Patrick/US Interior Dept.

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge — #BearRiver Migratory Bird Refuge lies in northern #Utah, where the Bear River flows into the northeast arm of the Great Salt Lake. The Refuge protects the marshes found at the mouth of the Bear River, providing a critical habitat for migrating birds. More than 250 species move through this area annually by the millions to rest and feed, including the group of baby burrowing owls pictured here.Katie McVey, USFWS/US Interior Dept.

Sequoia National Park

Sequoia National Park — Awe-inspiring giant sequoia trees are among the largest living things on earth, but the opportunity to experience them is rare. Approximately 75 groves exist, and #GiantForest (pictured here) at #Sequoia #NationalPark in #California is one of the largest groves. Some of the largest trees are in the Giant Forest — some of which are as tall as an average 26-story building and their diameter at the base exceeds the width of many city streets.Photo courtesy of by Steven M. Bumgardner/US Interior Dept.

Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park — Here’s to a bright 2015! Happy new year everyone! #Sunrise photo from Mesa Arch in #Canyonlands National Park.Greg Sager (www.sharetheexperience.org)/US Interior Dept.

Zion National Park

Zion National Park — A gorgeous shot of #Zion National Park (@zionnps) in #Utah. Samantha Pickertts (@ravenreviews) took this photo at the park's Canyon Junction overlooking the Virgin River during #sunset.Photo courtesy of Samantha Pickertts (@ravenreviews)/US Interiors Dept.

Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake National Park — The stars circle around the North Star on a cold #winter evening in #CraterLake #NationalPark in #Oregon. Michael Bonocore (@michaelbonocore) captured the movement of #stars in the night sky — called star trails — by combining 400 separate images.Photo courtesy of Michael Bonocore (@michaelbonocore)/US Interiors Dept.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Happy first day of #Winter! We are celebrating with this amazing photo of Sparks Lane in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.Christopher Ewing (www.sharetheexperience.org)/US Interior Dept.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park — #Winter is an excellent time to check out the #stars over #BryceCanyon National Park. #UtahSteve Perry (www.sharetheexperience.org)/US Interior Dept.

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

Vermillion Cliffs National Monument — Located on the Colorado Plateau in northern #Arizona, the Vermilion Cliffs. #NationalMonument includes a variety of diverse landscapes — from the Paria Plateau and #VermilionCliffs to the Coyote Buttes and Paria Canyon. This remote and unspoiled 280,000-acre Monument — a part of @mypubliclands' National #Conservation Lands — is a geologic treasure with towering cliffs and deep canyons. The colorful swirls of cross-bedded sandstone in Coyote Buttes, which include The Wave pictured here, are an international hiking destination.Bob Wick, BLM/US Interior Dept.

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park - Harriam — Low fog through #Yosemite Valley and bright stars created this amazing moment at Yosemite #NationalPark (@yosemitenps) in California. Toby Harriman (@tobyharriman) snapped this photo from the park's #TunnelView in November. His favorite part of the photo: The climber's headlamp that is visible mid way up #ElCapitan on the left.Photo courtesy of Toby Harriman (www.tobyharriman.com)/US Interior Dept.

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park - Killian — We're counting down our list of top 5 outdoor adventures to add to your #bucketlist in 2015. No. 4: Take in the view from the summit. Whether it's Mount McKinley in Denali #NationalPark, Sequoia’s Mount Whitney in #California or Washington’s Mount Rainier, our public lands protect some of the America’s tallest peaks. No matter how far it is to the summit, hiking a peak in a national park, #wildliferefuge or other public lands is great exercise — and the stunning views of the area below are hard to pass up! Case in point, the hike to #GlacierPoint at #Yosemite (@yosemitenps) National Park in California. It overlooks the #YosemiteValley below, offering amazing views of #HalfDome. #SunrisePhoto by Ethan Killian (www.sharetheexperience.org)/US Interior Dept.

Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park — Our #publiclands give us some of the most spectacular views, like this #winter #sunrise at #GrandCanyon National Park in #Arizona.Steve Perry (www.sharetheexperience.org)/US Interior Dept.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park — Here's your daily dose of cute: Two baby bobcats with their mother at #BlackCanyon of the #Gunnison #NationalPark in #Colorado. Sometimes called wildcats, bobcats are roughly twice as big as the average house cat. They have long legs, large paws, and tufted ears, and get their name for their tail, which appears to be cut or "bobbed." Female bobcats typically have 2-4 kittens. Usually born in spring, the kittens begin traveling with mom within a few months and hunting on their own by fall.National Park Service/US Interior Dept.

Glacier Bay National Park

Glacier Bay National Park — Something you don't see every day: a killer whale breaching in Glacier Bay National Park, #Alaska. Wow!National Park Service/US Interior Dept.

Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park — Yesterday, Yahoo! released a list of "The Nation’s Worst National Parks," but we think these national parks are some of the most beautiful places in the US. This stunning pic of the #Badlands National Park in South Dakota (Yahoo!'s #3 worst #NationalPark) proves they are definitely worth the visit!Harlan Humphrey (www.sharetheexperience.org)/US Interior Dept.

Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake National Park - Nyquist — #Sunrise over snow-covered Crater Lake #NationalPark in #Oregon. Greg Nyquist captured this stunning shot from Discovery Point just as a storm was clearing the park. #CraterLake's Discovery Point is a popular place to watch the sun rise over the park with views of the lake and #WizardIsland.Greg Nyquist (www.sharetheexperience.org)/US Interior Dept.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument — #GrandStaircase-Escalante #NationalMonument in #Utah is otherworldly, with vast landscapes of canyons, winding rugged backways and balanced rocks. Pictured here is the monument's #Toadstools — stone caps of Dakota Sandstone protecting the softer sandstone create amazing hoodoos. David Lane created this stunning multi-image panorama of the area with the #MilkyWay above and radiating bands of red and green airglow visible. While Page, #Arizona, is nearly 50 miles south of the monument (and a soft, barely discernible light to the naked eye), the long exposure of David's camera captured the light more vividly.Photo courtesy of David Lane/US Interior Dept.

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park — Zabriskie Point is one of the best places to watch the sunrise and sunset at #DeathValley #NationalPark. Surrounded by a maze of wildly eroded and vibrantly colored badlands, this spectacular view is one of the park’s most famous.Mahendiran Mohan (www.sharetheexperience.org)/US Interior Dept.

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